Chapter Spotlight: Carolyn Thompson
December 09, 2025
Carolyn Thompson
Carolyn D Thompson CPA LLC
South Coast Chapter Chair
You previously served as South Coast Chapter Chair years ago and have now returned to the role. What inspired you to come back to chapter leadership, and what has changed (or stayed the same) about the South Coast CPA community since your earlier term?
I was the chapter president 1997-1999. We did some fun activities, including the American Cancer Walk, tax season kick-off socials and 2-hour CPE presentations. As time went on I think there was a shift back to the OSCPA office for those small CPE sessions, and some changes in our community in regard to the events that were being presented. I also think the culture of networking between us has lessened.
Your firm recently launched a creative cereal box drive to support Oregon Coast Community Action. What sparked it this initiative, and why is giving back important to you and your team?
Oh my goodness, this was fun! We collected 108 boxes of cereal, and many cartons of shelf stable milk. It was a great way to increase traffic in the slower months, and to catch up with clients. My time on our local school board and at the Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation left me with the understanding that in our community the vast majority of our students qualify for free and reduced lunches. That means the reality of food instability in the home is a problem. When the SNAP benefits were delayed, I really felt like this was a great way to serve our community. I do remember as a single mom that some months it was really stressful to meet the bills, and that was with a professional degree. It’s not easier today, that is for sure. I thought I would rather build a wall to fight hunger than, well, the many other walls we are seeing in our society now.
From your perspective, what makes the South Coast region and its CPA community special, and what are you hoping to focus on as chapter chair in the year ahead?
For me, having grown up here on the south coast, many of my clients are friends, long-time acquaintances, and people I’ve been around for years. I am lucky to have served many clients for decades. The many experiences I’ve had living here, and in Ketchikan, Alaska, have exposed me to industries that are unique. For example, experiences in the timber or fishing industries give me a unique opportunity to understand how some of my clients' businesses work. Sometimes having a common memory, or knowledge of a common neighbor, or piece of history, helps establish relationships that can last, and can be trusted. This small community gives me that bonus, it gives my clients that bonus. I would like to see the younger CPAs in our area build back the networking of local professionals and the mutual respect between firms, and work together to serve clients. I would be happy to facilitate that and bring someone into the fold that will reignite this.
